Loose Steering 8N

Wisky 8N

New User
Have a 48 or 49 8N that has a lot of play in the steering wheel. Arms and links all look OK. Where should I start??

Newbie - just bought this tractor.
 
Welcome to the forum. Start by isolating where the play is.
When you turn the wheel, do the arms move in short order?
If they do not, internal to the gear box.
If they do, what doesn't move? Tie rods, linkages, etc.
These are old machines and there are lots of wear points.
Don't expect it to turn like a new car or truck, there is always play.
But they should be reasonably easy to steer when moving.
 
Does the shaft that has the steering wheel on it move up and down when you turn the wheel one way and the other. If so, the upper
bearing has failed in the steering gear.
 

The steering wheel turns loosely about 8" in either direction before any of the other steering components are "engaged".
 
(quoted from post at 09:23:22 03/18/18)
The steering wheel turns loosely about 8" in either direction before any of the other steering components are "engaged".
I had a 49 Ford 2 door sedan that did that, I had to kind of herd it down the road.
The FO-4 service manual lays out the adjustment for the steering box. Read and understand before you muck with it.
good luck
 
The support for the "arms", does it have 4 bolts holding the housing to the gearcase? Or does it have the system that has two
bolts with an adjusting screw in the center on the opposite end of the "arms"?
 
(quoted from post at 13:01:15 03/18/18) The support for the "arms", does it have 4 bolts holding the housing to the gearcase? Or does it have the system that has two
bolts with an adjusting screw in the center on the opposite end of the "arms"?

It has the 4 bolt cover.
 

I'm looking at a used, refurbished whole steering box unit on eBay for about $300 including shipping. Came off the 48/49 model years, which mine is.
 
"I'm looking at a used, refurbished whole steering box unit on eBay for about $300"

If that's where your slop is, its an easy swap.
Normally cheaper to rebuild your own unless you need sectors.
If I were going to swap and didn't care about being all original,
I'd buy the later model, easily adjustable, steering box though.

Day late and a dollar short, but I sold my late model steering gear
box for $100 a couple weeks ago. Buyer was about giddy over it.
No slop, no excessive wear, no grinding or binding, not even at the
extremes of turn, but it did need new sector seals as it leaked a bit.
 
if there is no sector arm movement with a 16" arc on the steering wheel, and the shaft is not rising up or falling into the box,
it is possibly that the sector gears and ballnut are severly worn.

pull the box down for a looksee. if they are worn.. I'd get that refurbished box as an easy swap.
 
i have a 52 8n that even in second gear has has a death wobble. in fourth gear you would think the tractor is coming apart. if i "weave" or keep tension on the wheel it seems to go away. any thoughts?
 

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